


the art of rhetoric

by AthenaDione



Category: DCU, Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:48:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28606995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AthenaDione/pseuds/AthenaDione
Summary: Raven Roth and Damian Wayne were rivals the moment they both stepped onto the camping grounds of Gotham College. As both compete for the title of Valedictorian in their last year of their Doctoral program, Raven finds that there's more to one of Gotham's most eligible bachelors than what meets the eyes. When Raven's nightmares threaten to destroy the life of normalcy she's precariously built for herself for years she realizes that maybe she'll never get the chance to graduate, much less become Valedictorian.
Relationships: Raven & Damian Wayne, Raven/Damian Wayne
Comments: 34
Kudos: 121





	1. Chapter 1

“ _ Shit.”  _

Raven hisses and scrambles out of bed blindly, throwing sheets haphazardly. Papers from her bedside table scatter to the floor as she reaches for her phone to turn off the alarm that’s been blaring for over an hour.

She’s late for her first class of the semester. She’s  _ never  _ late.

Grabbing her keys from her desk, she slips on some leggings and a sweater at the same time, then takes a few seconds to lace up her combat boots. Then she runs the short distance to her bathroom. Pee. Brush teeth. Mascara. For a moment she hesitates, then rushes to grab her backpack and slings it over one shoulder.  _ 7:57 a.m.  _

There’s no time for breakfast so instead she darts across the hall, nearly tripping over Nevermore’s toys. She runs her fingers through her lavender hair to flatten it as best she can before stopping at the threshold of her apartment. Glancing back one more time, she shuts her apartment door and hurries down the stairs.

Two minutes until her next class,  _ Comparative Literature.  _ Hardly noticing the people she passes on her brisk walk across campus, she grits her teeth ignoring the minty aftertaste of her toothpaste. 

Never again would she let Kori convince her to stay up and binge watch ‘The Office’. Honestly, she’s not even sure what time she ended up falling asleep, but it was long after Kori had left her apartment for the night.

The walk helps shake her awake and she’s thankful she decided to wear a sweater because the crisp autumn air is chilly and the grass beneath her boots crunch from the frost. Still, fall has always been her favorite season and despite the fact that she’s nearly jogging to get to class she enjoys being outside for a few minutes. 

“Morning Raven! Headed to Thompson’s class?” 

Raven stops and turns at the familiar voice and then gives her a chagrined smile. Her friend waves at her in greeting. The forest green sweater she’s wearing compliments her chocolate skin and her hair is up in two buns on either side of her hair. 

“Good morning Karen.” She rolls her eyes and slows so that she can catch up to her. “Yeah- no thanks to Jump City College. They can kiss my ass.” 

All but one class had transferred from Jump to Gotham College. 

Karen chuckles when she reaches her and they resume their walk together at a slower pace. 

“That sucks but hey- at least it’ll be easy right? A gen-ed English course should be a breeze for you.” 

Raven agrees but says nothing. If today is any indication of how her semester will go, it’s not leading off to the greatest start. Of all days to be late it has to be the first day of senior year. 

“Hey, have you heard anything about the TA position? I heard that they would be taking over one of Thompson’s classes.” 

Raven’s jaw clenches and the hand wrapped around the strap of her backpack tightens. 

“Yeah, I heard. I didn’t get the job.” 

She was devastated when she heard she didn’t get the teaching assistant position. All of her internships, volunteer work, and references made for a fantastic resume, they told her, and she did very well during her interview- but they decided to go a different route. It would have helped pay for her rent, now she’d have to find a job. Perhaps she would search for one on campus. 

“Wow, I wonder who they chose instead.” Karen ponders beside her. Raven gives a half-shrug and quickly climbs the few short steps to the main lecture building. 

“I’ve been wondering that for a few days now as well.” She replies as she holds the door open for Karen to follow behind her. Her classroom was down the hallway, third door on the right. Voices murmur from classrooms that she passes but it’s mostly quiet. She glances down at her watch and grimaces.  _ 8:06.  _

When she reaches the classroom the door is open and she’s thankful for that. With a deep breath she walks inside and sends a goodbye wave to Karen. With a prayer to Azar she avoids eye contact with those around her in hopes that Professor Thompson will overlook her lateness just this once. 

“Nice of you to join us Miss. Roth. Did you suddenly forget how to tell time? Because my watch says 8:06 and class has actually started 6 minutes ago.” 

She freezes, blood running cold at the sound of his voice. As if she were in a movie she slowly turns to meet those familiar emerald eyes and that damnable smirk. Her eyes widen when she sees the expo marker in his hand and the words “Comparative Literature” written in  _ his  _ elegant scrawl. It’s at this moment she realizes just who was chosen to take over Professor Thompson’s class as his TA instead of  _ her _ . Her rival for the title of Valedictorian and the biggest thorn in her side at this damn school.  _ Damian Wayne.  _

“Oh, _hell_ no.” 

  
  


.

  
  


“I’m sorry Miss. Roth, but all other general education classes are full. This is the only class available that doesn’t conflict with your schedule.” 

Her words are the last nail in the coffin that shuts it closed, air tight. Raven sighs, nostrils flaring as she stands to leave.

“I understand, thank you for your time.” It was something of a lie since the woman behind the desk at Registrar could do nothing to help her, but it wasn’t her fault she was stuck in a freshman level undergraduate course when she was close to finishing her _ Doctorate’s _ degree. 

Seething, she grits her teeth and nearly stomps out of the room. It was just her luck the course catalogue had been updated before the start of the new year and the  _ one  _ class that had never transferred over was now a required prerequisite:  _ Comparative Literature.  _

The door closes behind her none too gently but Raven doesn’t care. The walk to his office only takes a few minutes and her anger only grows with each step. 

“Professor Thompson.” She bites out, agitation flaring in her tone. She stalks into the room as if it were hers, though that wasn’t too far from the truth. She was in his office meeting and discussing her dissertation as often as she breathed. The sound of typing keys stills at her entrance. 

The man sitting at his desk is older with salt and pepper hair and tired, gray eyes. Unperturbed, he looks up from his laptop and raises a brow, staring at her through thick glass lenses from years of reading and writing. 

“Hello, Raven. To what do I owe this… unanticipated visit?” He asks coolly.

“ _ Damian Wayne?”  _ she growls, ignoring his pleasantries. “Do you mean to tell me that  _ Damian Wayne  _ was chosen for the teaching assistant’s position over  _ me?”  _ Her voice rises an octave as she is rapidly losing control over her anger. Professor Thompson just sighs and removes his glasses so that he can rub his eyes with his fingers.

“Not that it’s any of your business as a  _ student. _ ” He gives her a knowing look, “but the decision was made as a department and there’s nothing that I can do to change it.” 

Forcing herself to take a breath before speaking, she swallows back her blinding rage. 

“You know damn well that I am just as capable, if not more so, than he is. I am the lead tutor over the writing center, I’ve already completed a semester of student teaching in my undergraduate studies, and I’m currently the number one rank in my class.” Just three of dozens of reasons that she was prepared to give him on why she deserved the position so much more than _Damian Wayne_.

But Professor Thompson just stares at her, if not a bit sympathetically. 

“Be that as it may, Raven, but there are a lot of factors that come into play when choosing a TA.” The warning look he gives her makes her shut her mouth with an audible snap.

“Damian Wayne is very capable for the position. Whether or not you like him doesn’t change that fact, and you would do well to focus on your studies rather than attempting to usurp a student from a position just because you’re _ angry _ that he received the offer and you did not.” 

His words are like a slap to the face and she reels back, thoroughly chastised. Unconcerned with her reaction, he turns back to his laptop.

“Who knows, you might actually learn something from him. Now, if you don’t have any other concerns regarding your dissertation…?” He asks openly and Raven picks up on the clear dismissal.

“No.” She grits out and simultaneously turns heel to walk right out without another word. The gall of him to say that she might actually  _ learn  _ something from  _ him?  _

“I can’t believe this…” She trails off, mostly murmuring to herself. Looking back, she darts into the hallway once more, reaching back into the side pocket of her backpack to grab her phone and her keys. 

It didn’t even occur to her that someone else might be in the hallway.

She slams into solid muscle and hands grab her forearms reflexively to prevent her fall and she can’t contain her short gasp. Heat flashes through her when she meets a  _ very _ masculine chest and she realizes that she’s gripping their admittedly well defined biceps. Their collared shirt is slightly wrinkled from the sudden movement of catching her and her eyes trail lower, briefly wondering what she’d find underneath. Feeling her blush creep up her neck she looks up to see who her rescuer is. 

“I see you’re just as graceful as you are punctual Miss. Roth.”

Anger and mortification quickly replace her lustful train of thought when those same emerald eyes look down at her in barely contained disdain. 

“ _ You.”  _ She seethes, jerking out of his grasp as if she had been burned. He obliges, raising a brow as his lips curl into a smirk.

“Yes, it does appear to be me standing in front of you- who just saved your ass from hitting the floor might I add. Are you always this eloquent in the morning?” Sarcasm drips with each word and the anger that Raven had dulled earlier comes roaring back to the surface, scalding hot. 

“Shut the hell up Wayne, I’m not in the mood for your petty rhetoric this morning. I have better things to do with my life.” 

“Oh? Like skipping your first lecture of the morning to try and take a different ‘Comparative Literature’ course? How did that go by the way?” 

God she wishes she could smack that smirk off his face, the pretentious bastard. Of course he knew the other classes were completely full and she had zero chance of switching to another. 

She wonders what he would do if she just backhanded him right here. The thought makes her hand itch to do just that. I nstead, she rises on the balls of her feet and pokes a finger in the middle of his chest causing his gaze to narrow.

“Let’s get one thing straight Wayne. I do not like you, I will  _ never _ like you, and if you do  _ anything  _ to fuck with my gpa this semester I. Will. Hunt. You. Down.” 

When she’s done she takes another breath but he’s already walking away from her, not bothered in the slightest. 

“Rest assured Roth- the reflection of your grade will be influenced by your essays  _ only _ . Be aware, however, that I will be looking to catch  _ every  _ grammatical error.” 

It was a warning and a promise. One that she didn’t take lightly. If there was anything she was sure of, it was that Damian Wayne would keep her on her toes. Raven growls, then turns back to her book bag to fish out her phone. 

“Damn Rae, you both really know how to put on a show. So that’s what foreplay is like for you two.” 

Raven looks up to see Garfield Logan walking towards, eyes lit up in amusement. Her eyes sweep his figure. A wrinkled sweater with a vague, dark stain near his pen pocket followed by a pair of denim jeans that looks to be one size too large. As disheveled as ever- not that she ever expected anything less from him. 

“Garfield.” She nearly snarls in warning and her hand gripping her phone shakes. Her friend appears from the nearest classroom that is now emptying for the next class. He puts both hands up in a show of surrender at her glower. 

“Alright, I’m sorry, I’m sorry… it’s just that everyone is betting on when you guys are finally gonna get together and I have investments you know.” 

“That’s completely absurd. You know I can’t stand him, especially _now_ after finding out that he was chosen for the TA job.” 

Garfield looks unsurprised. “That was pretty much a given Rae. You get certain perks like that when your father is an alum and probably the biggest donor to Gotham Collage.” 

Raven stops, completely floored. Gar picks up on it easily, taking in her wide eyes and gaping mouth. “What you didn’t know? His dad is  _ Bruce Wayne.  _ You know, Gotham’s hottest eligible bachelor?” 

It takes a moment but then everything clicks. Damian Wayne. Bruce Wayne. It all made sense- why he was offered the position over her. Because it couldn’t have possibly been because he was more  _ qualified _ than her. 

More people shuffle into the hallway, distracting her train of thought and she moves out of the middle of the hallway. 

“I don’t have time for this.” Raven mumbles then glances at her phone. She will  _ not  _ be late again for her next class. 

“I’ve got to go Garfield.”

“See ya later Rae! Hey, remember Roy is hosting a party at his place this weekend. You gonna be there?” He asks expectantly and Raven doesn’t have the heart to tell him no.

“Maybe.” She says and it seems to be good enough because he gives her a toothy grin, then turns to leave in the direction she came from. 

Raven takes a breath to calm herself, then starts the walk farther down the hall with a small smile gracing her features. Her next class was an elective that she specifically chose for her doctoral degree in English- ‘Writing Nonfiction’. Three hours a week she could delve into the art of nonfiction and she was really looking forward to it. 

With that thought, her footsteps are a little lighter as she walks into the classroom. She catches the echo of voices before she hears them just outside the doorway.

“You ready for the game dude? I heard Jump’s got a new striker, we might actually have some competition.” 

“Jaime? Man he was the only person who even came close to the number of goals you scored last year. Didn’t he get a trainer over the summer? He’s a helluva lot faster now.” 

Raven rolls her eyes as she turns the corner to walk in the classroom. The cliques at Gotham College were almost as bad as the academy in high school, it was ridiculous. Unfortunately writing nonfiction was a class that upperclassmen could opt to take as an extra elective and a lot of english minors took it as well. 

That included buffoons otherwise classified as ‘jocks’ who didn’t know the first thing to writing a piece of literature. 

The second she steps into the classroom their eyes meet again and he gives her a slow grin, not breaking eye contact as he responds to the group of friends hoarded around him. “Mm. We’ll see. The last time he played in a match against us I was…  _ unimpressed _ to say the least.” There’s something there in his eyes that goads her, almost  _ inviting  _ in a way that has her blood boiling. 

_ Goddammit. Why does he have to ruin the class she was most looking forward to?  _

“Hi Raven!” 

She tears her gaze from his with a final glare and turns to see Kori, waving at her and relief floods through her. From the events of today she had completely forgotten that Kori had signed up for this class too. 

“Oh thank god, Kori.” She rushes to the empty desk that Kori saved beside her and Raven plops down unceremoniously. There’s two steaming coffee cups on the desk and Kori hands one to her. She can already smell the Chamomile in her tea and she breathes deep, relishing the way the steam fills her nose. 

“You’re a godsend. You have  _ no  _ idea the kind of morning I’ve already had.” 

Kori winces, “I’m sure I didn’t help by making you stay up last night. I’m sorry I didn’t wake you up before I left.” 

Raven waves her off and takes a sip of her tea. “Apology already accepted the moment you offered caffeine in my favorite form. Besides, it’s not even your fault… I haven’t been sleeping well lately anyway.” 

It was true, she hadn’t gotten much sleep because of the nightmares. They’d gotten more vivid lately, though her father remained strangely absent in them. Her therapist had told her it would be normal to experience dreams from past abuse, but she never expected them to seem so  _ real.  _

She’s pulled from her thoughts when Kori’s hand rests on her shoulder and she gives her a smile. 

“I understand. If you ever want to talk about it, I’m always willing to listen.” 

“Thanks Kori… I’ll let you know.” She says and Kori nods, then turns her attention to the front of the class. Raven begins to rummage through her backpack, removing her notebook, and pen. Although most students opt to type their notes out on their laptops, she's always preferred writing them down. It helps her focus and it's easier for retaining information. 

“Good morning and welcome to English 402: ‘Writing Nonfiction’. I’m Professor Miles. Now this class is offered as an English major elective as well and a writing intensive course. For those of you who are looking for an easy elective, I implore you to drop this class  _ immediately.” _

Raven grins at the nervous glances in front of her. Dr. Miles is a no-nonsense, intense lecturer with an asperity that has many running in the opposite direction and she absolutely loves it. Though she’s just under five feet tall she has enough personality for two people. Her brown hair is tied back in a tight bun and Raven spots the few strands of grey hair she’s grown since last semester. Her heels clack across the linoleum as she walks to her desk to set down her satchel, only to pull out the folder that’s hidden within its contents. Raven watches her flip through the papers quickly and her gaze travels down to the matching navy blue skirt and blazer that shows off every one of her curves. She exudes a confidence that’s intimidating to many and admirable to many more. 

She’s everything that Raven’s yearned to be. 

“... And there is a grading curve for the midterm. The number of points will be determined by whoever gets the highest score.” 

There’s a collective groan that has Dr. Miles raising a brow.

“I assumed that was a good thing?” She inquires with a hand on her hip.

One of the men towards the back in Wayne’s posse snorts. “Yeah right, are you kidding? With Roth and Wayne both in this class? There isn’t gonna  _ be  _ a grading curve.” 

Dr. Miles' eyes roams the class, then rests her gaze on Raven, who shrugs. 

“If you’re concerned that you are in danger of failing the midterm already then I highly suggest that you withdraw now while you still can.” 

Some begin to murmur and Raven already knows that many have already decided to drop the course. Dr. Miles continues to review her syllabus and Raven tunes her out, knowing that she’s already read it a few days prior. Her gaze wanders towards the back of the classroom. The moment her eyes land on Damian Wayne their eyes meet again. His eyes narrow dangerously at her stare and Raven scowls as her anger returns. Of course Bruce Wayne was his father. He’s probably had every need attended to, every want appeased. She imagines no one has ever really said no to him. That would certainly explain his flamboyant attitude towards every breathing thing. God, she really hated him.

“... for English majors I’ve taken the liberty of assigning your counterpart based on exam scores in past courses and cumulative gpas so that you can each have someone within your skill range that can challenge you both to become better writers. You will hand every piece of non-fiction to your editor before submitting it for final grading.” 

Raven quickly turns back to face the front as dread fills her. That means-

“And our first pair is… Raven Roth and Damian Wayne.” 

_ Could this day get any worse?  _


	2. Chapter 2

Thankfully Raven only has two classes on Mondays because she is seconds away from having a mental breakdown. She flops unceremoniously on her bed after slipping off her boots and slides underneath the covers, flipping them over her head to hide her from the rest of the world. She eyes the ruby amulet she’s wearing, and lets go of a frustrated sigh. 

“Tell me this isn’t happening. Tell me I’m dreaming Nevermore.” 

The solid black cat meowls his condolences and the bell on his turquoise collar jingles as he makes the jump to reach her. Raven peeks her head out from underneath her sheets and watches him stretch out with a yawn, then begins to knead the mattress beside her. She laughs softly when Nevermore puts his head into her palm, rubbing against her. 

“Okay, I surrender. You can have as many pets as you would like.” Sighing as she pets him, her eyes drifting to the window. Beams of light shone through the middle of her room, bathing her in its warm light. She breathed in deep, reminding herself that Damian Wayne was nothing but a nuisance and that it didn’t matter that he had a well-defined abdomen that had probably developed over years of sheer athleticism- 

_ No.  _ She was  _ not  _ going down that road. It was already bad enough that he was her  _ fucking teacher _ in a freshman level course that she shouldn’t even be in. She didn’t need any of  _ those  _ thoughts roaming around her mind. She didn’t need distractions. 

Besides, she needed to focus on completing her dissertation. It wasn’t going to write itself and there were clear deadlines that she needed to meet this semester. Plus she now had to go job hunting since it was also clear that the English department would not revoke their original decision for the TA position. Tutoring in the writing center only got her so far… 

With another sigh she runs her fingers through her short plum-colored locks and rolls over, reaching for her laptop. Google searching for jobs is a daunting task, but maybe Gotham College has some internship positions open so she can work here on campus. 

Any openings in retail are all quickly crossed off her list. The thought of having to pretend to be polite to raging customers has her nose scrunching up in disgust. The same for fast food services, healthcare, or secretarial services. A listing towards the bottom of the page of Gotham’s classifieds catches her eyes.  _ Library assistant.  _ Now that’s something she can tolerate, maybe even  _ enjoy.  _

“Honey, I’m home!” 

Raven rolls her eyes when Karen strolls into her apartment with Kori not far behind. 

“Girl, why is it so dark in here? Turn on a light for god-sake....I swear Kori, goth girl doesn't get enough Vitamin D. Look at her skin? It’s way too pale.” Karen turns the light switch on the nearest wall and Raven winces as her eyes adjust. Apparently she’d been job searching for more than just a few minutes. 

“Do you have anything else to do besides annoy me? Because I’ve got job searching to do.” Her voice is raspy from hours of silence but neither of her friends seem to mind. They’d already been acquainted with her gruff personality for years. As Karen so expressively put it, she is “rough around the edges”. 

“Nope!” Karen grins in full and all but jumps on her bed beside her. Nevermore hisses and paws at her face before scurrying off underneath and Raven shoots her a glare.

“You scared Nevermore.” Raven flicks Karen in the forehead, earning an indignant grunt. “Apologize this instant.” 

Karen rolls her eyes and flips over her bed, hanging her head below so that she can spot Nevermore hiding underneath. “I’m sorry my majestic King, please forgive me. This humble peasant does not deserve your grace.” Another hiss is her response. 

“Don’t patronize him.” Raven says with a grin and Karen comes back up to smack her lightly on the shoulder. 

“What kind of job are you looking for anyway?” She says, scooting over so that Kori can join them both on her bed. Raven sighs, “I’m applying for this library assistant job. I was really depending on the TA position.” 

“Oh that reminds me, how did your class with Wayne go? Were you able to transfer to a different one?” Karen asks, reaching for some hershey kisses left on her bedside table.

“No.” Raven practically hisses and Karen’s brows rise, crinkling the chocolate wrappers in her fingers. “His class is the only one that fits my schedule. I can’t withdraw if I want to graduate on time in the spring.” 

“Damn, that’s fucking hilarious.” Karen laughs, ignoring Raven’s heated glare. 

“It is not! I had intended for that class to be more of an afterthought. Now I’m going to have to scour every essay before turning it in. If he has his way my gpa is done for and the title for Valedictorian will be  _ his _ .” She growls. 

“Damian isn’t as bad as you make him out to be Raven. Give him a chance.” Kori cuts in, twirling a strand of her brilliant red hair. Raven just scoffs as Karen makes a poor attempt to hold in her laughter.

“How would you know? The Damian Wayne I know is an ostentatious prick who wants nothing more than to make my life a living hell.” Kori just gives her a look and Karen cuts in before she can say anything further.

“Look we’re not here to start an argument over how much of a dick Wayne is. We’re here to take you out.” Karen stands and begins to rummage through her closet. “How many sweaters do you own? Ahah! Found it.” She exclaims, pulling out a black coat and Raven raises a brow. 

“Outside? Where and why?” 

“To the soccer field to watch the game. Everyone is hyped up the first match is against Jump. I heard it’s going to be a good match.” Jump City College and Gotham College have been rivals ever since Raven’s been alive. Karen tosses the coat and Raven catches it in both hands. She then looks up to realize that Karen and Kori are already dressed in their own coats. 

“Must you make me go outside, mother?” Raven asks drily causing Kori to snicker behind her hands. Karen just tosses a beanie at her face. 

“Come on you sarcastic goth, get up. Time for some socialization!” Raven groans but obliges. Sometimes in moments like these, it seems like she’s achieved some level of normalcy and she can move on from her past. 

Unfortunately, she knows those moments never last forever. 

Karen steps more into the light and Raven’s brows narrow when she takes in the discoloration on one side of her face, “That’s a pretty nasty bruise.” 

Karen clucks her tongue and shoots a glance to Kori. “Patrol didn't exactly go as planned last night. In my defense that asshole left with more than just one bruise.” Her chest puffs out proudly and Raven rolls her eyes again. Karen was always a ‘go-getter’ and probably had a similar personality in a real battle. 

It wasn’t hard to discover that both Karen and Kori were vigilantes after all the sudden mysterious injuries and early morning sneak-ins. They were always on guard, ready to defend at any moment. Tense. She supposes that’s probably a good thing- living with two very capable women. It was strange though, she had to admit, because she never really saw them in uniform, just the aftermath. They seemed so human. 

She met Bumble Bee and Starfire years ago when she approached Batman. They knew about her past- and the decision she made to erase as much of it as she could. They all did. It only took her a couple of days to make the connection when she met Karen and Kori at Gotham Academy High. She knows that they both would have continued to keep their alter egos a secret from her if she hadn’t already connected the dots herself.

She also knows that Zatanna still doesn’t trust her, and that it probably isn’t a coincidence that two vigilantes had been chosen to be her apartment roommates.

“Just… be careful.” Raven says cautiously. Karen gives her a full, toothy grin.

“Always hon.” 

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that they’re not really supposed to be her friends, just her babysitters- compliments of the Justice League. 

.

  
  
Raven doesn’t realize how serious Gotham’s college students are about soccer until she reaches the stands that are already packed full. There are people everywhere, either hanging around the entrance in groups or colluding at the concessions. There’s even more behind her, following their path up into the stands. The soccer field is bathed in light from above, beckoning its fans closer. It’s cold enough for her to see every breath and she’s glad that Karen made her wear a beanie. 

It takes a few minutes to find seats and she’s glad that Karen insisted they go to concessions first. Once she’s seated she scans the players, eyes narrowing in on the familiar face below. 

Really, there must be some god who has decided to punish her for her past transgressions.  _ Must she see him everywhere around campus? Which god hath she forsaken? _ She must have grumbled out loud at some point on their way over to the soccer field because Karen punches her arm lightly, exasperated.

“Oh, come on. It’s not like he can bother you from down there, just enjoy the match.” 

Karen is really such a bitch sometimes, but then again, so was she. Raven says nothing, just narrows her eyes at the back of his jersey. The number 5 glares at her haughtily as its owner strides onto the field with purpose. Even from where she’s sitting she can see his signature smirk. His steps are proud and confident and his teammates rally around him as if he is some sort of celebrity. It’s distasteful. 

She tries to ignore the flash of olive skin that shows off powerful thighs, and the way that his socks and shin guards show off his calf muscles nicely. She can’t help it when her eyes drift farther up passed his shorts that cut off mid-thigh to his toned-

“Hey, sorry I’m late. Has the match started?” 

Raven looks up from her seat with a frown. Richard walks closer to them, bundled in a gray coat with both hands in his jeans pocket. There’s an easy grin on his face that causes a pang of envy in her chest. She doesn’t know if Richard knows about Kori and that she’s not even from this earth, but she figures it’s really not any of her business to say anything. That was a private conversation that they needed to have with each other. 

“Richard I’m glad you made it! Just in time, it’s about to start now.” Kori stands to greet him with a kiss and Raven looks away, turning her attention to the steaming hot chocolate in her hands. Karen leans over beside her.

“Hey Kori, isn’t that Jamie?” Karen asks and Kori turns to follow her line of vision. Raven watches her eyes light up in recognition. 

“Yes, it sure is.” 

Raven almost misses the look of concern she gives Dick. Raven watches the other man more closely as he walks onto the soccer field. His white uniform compliments his tanned skin and his black hair is cropped short, close to his scalp. He exudes a similar confidence and she quickly realizes that he is the captain of their team. 

“What’s wrong?” She finds herself asking Kori, clearly interpreting the worry on her face. Kori makes a strangled noise in the back of her throat before her eyes dart away back to Richard.

“Nothing.” Richard says with a wry grin, “It’s just that Jaime has a… tendency to get… aggressive.” He offers no other explanation, not even as to how he and Kori knows Jamie and why he could potentially get violent but she doesn’t know the guy so she figures it doesn’t really matter.

“Hell yes, we won the coin toss. We’re off to a good start you guys.” Karen leans over the railing in front of them, watching as the players head off to their positions on the field. For a moment everyone is still and quiet just before the kickoff and Raven tenses as the referee whistles. 

When the match starts Raven realizes why Damian Wayne is chosen to be forward. He’s  _ fast  _ and assertive. He immediately takes the offensive and is within range of scoring in mere seconds. It almost seems like the ball is an extension of his foot, he weaves and dodges with ease, carrying the ball with him and Raven can’t help but be entranced at the graceful way he rears back to kick the first scoring goal. 

She blinks when the crowd stands and  _ roars.  _ There’s no way he could have scored within the first five minutes of the game- but he did. She scowls when they chant his name. She has a feeling that it’s going to be a long game. 

Halftime comes and goes and the score is 3-3. It’s no surprise that Wayne has scored all three goals but Raven’s attention has long drifted to Jamie Reyes who matches Wayne stride for stride and kick for kick. It seems as if they had both met their match, but no one can deny that Wayne simply has more endurance. 

Raven watches the players huddle together and her eyes drift back to Wayne who had gotten his hands on a bottle of water. He wipes the sweat from his brow, flexing muscles, and brings the bottle of water to his lips, drinking greedily. She swallows hard when he pours the water over his face and shakes out his hair. 

“Mm I know that face, who are you looking at out there? I know it’s not  _ Reyes.”  _ Karen says, shoving her playfully. Raven’s scowl returns and she tears her gaze away, embarrassed.

“So what if it is? There’s nothing wrong with perusing the players.” She crosses her arms when Karen’s grin grows wider. 

“It is Reyes isn’t it? You’ve got good taste, he is one hot piece of ass.” She whistles low in appreciation and Raven feels no need to correct her, “You’d better go after him sooner rather than later though, I think a line is forming.” She vaguely gestures across the other side of the stands where Raven can pick out a rather large gathering of women, all chanting Jaime’s name. 

“I have no intentions on forming a relationship with Reyes.” Raven says even as Karen shrugs and shakes her head. “You don’t have to marry him to have a good time Rae.” She waggles her brows and a frown tugs at the corners of her mouth. 

“Mm.” Raven answers non committedly. Reyes  _ is _ attractive, and it  _ has _ been a while since she’s had a good lay. Her vibrator can only do so much to appease her sexual tastes. “Maybe.” She amends. 

When there’s only about 2 minutes left in the match and no one else has scored, the match intensifies. 

“Woah! What the hell, that guy should have gotten red-carded!” Karen is suddenly out of her seat, yelling at the ref. The crowd boos similar sentiments although it’s for naught. The mid forward gets away with purposefully tripping one of Gotham’s players, preventing him from being able to successfully pass the ball to Wayne. 

“At least we have a corner kick. Wayne usually always scores on a corner kick.” 

Raven just rolls her eyes. 

Of course Wayne scores on the corner kick. Of course he single handedly gives Gotham its first victory. And of course all of his teammates flock to him after the match is over.  _ Didn’t they know that all they’re doing is boosting his already balloonified ego?  _

Then she hears the horns blow simultaneously at victory and Raven grits her teeth, resisting the urge to cover her ears. 

“Come on, let’s go find Damian.” Richard stands, taking Kori’s hand and pulling her up with him. Raven raises a brow.

“Why would we do that?” She deadpans. Kori shifts uncomfortably, not quite meeting Raven’s eyes. 

“Damian is Richard’s brother… I was going to tell you before the game… but you were so upset this morning and we both wanted you to come…” She trails off and Raven feels a hot flash run down her spine, angry at her friend’s deceit. Richard says nothing, only confirming her suspicions that he already knows that she is not on good terms with his brother. 

Admittedly it wouldn’t have mattered so much if Kori would have just been honest with her from the beginning. Instead, both of her friends tried to constantly keep her in the dark about what’s going on around her. That thought has her standing with rigid movements. 

“I’m going back home.” She says and ignores Kori’s look of disappointment. She turns around immediately to gather her phone and keys but Karen quickly stands in her line of vision, cutting off her path. 

“Come on Raven, we’re gonna get some food afterwards. You should hang out with us.” 

Raven’s eyes narrow at her, seeing her stance for what it was: defensive and ready for a fight. 

As if she is an opponent.

“No thanks, I have research I need to do.” She says and shoves passed her. Karen shrugs.

“Okay, but let us know when you get back.” 

“I will.”

She’s glad when she can finally walk away and be by herself. Something nags in the back of her mind stubbornly and she can’t help but feel slightly hurt at the way Karen treats her. She knows that Karen eyes her suspiciously when she’s not looking. It makes her wonder if their friendship is even real. 

But she also knows there’s more to what she’s feeling. Everyday she’s forced to live with the decisions she made before coming to Gotham College. She breathes deep and looks up at the sky. They wink at her lazily and shine through the small wispy clouds. The moon is particularly bright tonight, lighting up her surroundings in an ethereal glow. Suddenly her qualms with Wayne and the TA position seem so insignificant.

“Is there something that I can help you with Roth? Are you lost?” 

Raven tears her gaze away from the sky to land on the devil himself. It’s at this moment that she realizes that she’s stumbled upon the building just outside the gymnasium that contains the men’s locker rooms and showers. She chokes on her retort when her eyes land on his bare chest, still wet from what looks to be a recent shower. Droplets of water drip from his hair onto his stomach, down lower into the waistband of his jogger pants. They hug his waist comfortably, not leaving much room for imagination as to what is underneath. 

_ Goddammit for once she wishes she doesn’t have an eye for detail.  _

When she feels his stare on her she clears her throat and glares.

“No, I don’t need any help from  _ you _ .” She shoves her hands in her coat pockets to hide her discomfort. “Put a shirt on for god's sake, why the hell are you out here half-naked anyway?” 

“If you must know I was looking to cool off alone for a moment and I didn’t expect to run into anyone.” He appraises her as he slips the cotton turtleneck over his head in one swift movement. “Besides, it didn’t seem like you particularly minded the view.” 

There’s a strangled noise in her throat and she feels her cheeks heat in her embarrassment. Her irritation flares at his growing smirk.

“Don’t you have people to meet Wayne? You’re wasting time trying to get a rise out of me when  _ your brother  _ is looking for you.” 

That seems to be an appropriate distraction. His eyes narrow, “Grayson? How do you know he’s here?” 

“Kori, obviously. Trust me, I have no plans to mess with your family. I don’t want anything to do with any of you.” 

“Mm.” He takes a step closer to her. “You’re in a particularly angry mood and I haven’t been around lately. Who else has pissed you off?” 

Raven stills, her mind whirling. She didn’t think she was acting any differently towards him. Had he really gotten that adept at reading her body language and the edge in her words? The thought makes her uncomfortable, and she relies on sarcasm to defend her vulnerability.

“Is that concern I detect in your voice Wayne?” She sneers, “Don’t forget who you’re talking to. We’re  _ not  _ friends.” 

He turns away from her just as quickly as he steps towards her. “So you’ve said before- but don’t confuse my concern for a desire for your companionship. I already have friends that are waiting for me.” He walks past her and gives her a look she can’t interpret. “and it seems like to me that you have none.”

Her hands tremble in her pockets when he continues to walk by her without another word, and her chest hurts at his words that hit too close to home. 

Because she doesn’t want to admit that there’s this ache in her chest that she’s felt for years from a feeling that she’s never really fit in anywhere on this earth, or that all she’s ever done was keep people at arm’s length out of worry that they would get too close. From a constant fear that whoever finds out about what she is won’t  _ understand _ .

As she finishes her walk to her apartment she finally interprets the feeling that’s been nagging in the back of her mind. 

Loneliness. 


	3. Chapter 3

It’s easy for Raven to throw herself into her research, and by the end of the week she’s drowning in Scholarly journals and articles. By focusing on her dissertation she’s managed to avoid both Karen and Kori for the majority of the week. She’s certain she’s already checked out a dozen books from the library, and she hopes that she gets the library assistant job. It would be perfect, really. She’d have a sure way of keeping up with her book returns and could work on her research when it’s not busy. 

When the sun sets and her room is swaddled in darkness, Raven reaches over to flip on the light in her room before returning her attention back to her laptop. She’s ready to submit her first non-fiction essay to Professor Miles, but she hesitates. 

She scowls when she hovers over to the share button and glares at the name that auto populates in the field. Dr. Miles was adamant about sending their essays to their assigned peer-reader first. Sighing in begrudging defeat, she clicks on his name and presses send. This first essay will set the tone for the rest of the class. She wanted it to be exceptional. Even if that meant sending it to her rival for editing first. 

Closing her laptop shut, she stretches out her legs on her bed and absentmindedly scratches behind Nevermore’s ears who purrs appreciatively. 

“I don’t know what I’d do without you Nevermore.” She tells him. Nevermore is truly her best friend. 

Her stomach grumbles in protest and with another sigh Raven stands up from her bed. The cafeteria is still open, but the thought of intermingling with her colleagues stops her. The food is subpar at best and she can use a walk. The nearest diner is only a couple of blocks away and she’s craving something to eat that’s actually  _ edible _ . 

So she grabs her jacket and slips on her combat boots and with a wave of goodbye to Nevermore, she walks out of her apartment door. 

The walk is nice and she welcomes the slight chill that comes with the setting sun. Each breath is visible and she watches as the small puffs of air swirl before dissipating. Alfred’s diner is only about a five minute walk, and though she risks running into other colleagues, it’s worth it. 

It’s a small, older diner with neon lighted signs and decorations that takes you backwards in time to the 1950’s. Though it’s not anywhere that Raven would usually ever set foot in, she admits that there’s not one bad item on their menu. Even their vegetarian options have a certain appeal- not that she’d ever eat anything on it. 

There’s a small ding of a bell when she opens the door and her combat boots squeak against the linoleum floor. Her eyes sweep the room, then focus on the empty stools at the bar. No one pays her any mind when she takes a seat and orders a grilled chicken salad. 

She’s content to sit and watch the crowd until her food is ready, then her phone chimes and she glances down at the text message. **Karen:** _Hey, can we talk soon?_ Raven chews her bottom lip, then flips her phone down on the counter without responding. She knows Karen wants to apologize for her behavior at the game Monday but she’s not ready to talk to her yet. 

“Hello, I couldn’t help but notice that you’re here alone. Is this seat taken?” 

She glances up, peering into a pair of golden brown eyes. Then her eyes roam over the rest of his figure. He’s wearing a pair of washed out denim jeans with a black t-shirt and matching leather jacket. He looks familiar and when he shifts to the balls of his feet her eyes widen,

“Jaime Reyes?” She asks, confirming her suspicions when he smiles sheepishly. One hand goes to the back of his neck, 

“Yeah that’s me. I’m sorry I don’t know who you are…?” He ventures and a small smile tugs at the corners of her mouth and she motions for him to sit beside her,

“Raven. Raven Roth. I watched you play at Gotham College. So do you use that pickup line for all the lonely women you find at the local diner?” 

His smile grows and he slides onto the seat next her, “Truthfully, it was just the first thing that came to mind,” He grimaces slightly, “Although looking back I can see how creepy that must have sounded.” 

“Just a little,” She concedes and purses her lips. 

He chuckles and shifts further onto the bar stool, shimmying out of his jacket and her eyes flick up and down the taut muscles of his forearms. He takes a moment to order his drink then he turns back to her. “This isn’t quite how I intended this conversation to go.” He admits and Raven arches a delicate brow. 

“Oh? And what  _ are  _ your intentions?” She asks, reaching for her cup of water. 

“To hopefully make a friend. I don’t know a lot of people around this area.” He says honestly and Raven appraises him carefully. 

He seems genuine, she thinks, and it’s not like she’s worried that he’s going to do anything to her. Besides, she doesn’t really have a lot of friends either. 

“I don’t really know a lot of people around either,” She says with a shrug and his smile widens considerably, “I usually don’t have a lot of free time.” She takes a sip of her water through her straw, observing that way that Jaime’s eyes flick up to her mouth for a moment. 

“Ah,” he clears his throat, “grad student?” He asks, eyes glancing over to her student I.D. and she nods, impressed.  _ Very observant.  _

“English major. You?” She asks.

“Archeology.” He says with a grin. 

She nods once and takes a moment to thank the waitress who comes around to top off her glass. 

“I’m surprised you don’t have other plans tonight if Monday’s game was any indication of the…  _ interest  _ that Gotham College has in your talent.” She smirks at the faint blush that creeps up his neck and she finds herself actually enjoying their conversation. 

“I wouldn’t know. I didn’t take the chance to talk with anyone after,” His brows furrow and he scoffs, “I was too busy kicking my own ass for our loss that night and thinking of all the ways I could kick Damian Wayne’s.” 

Raven’s eyes light up with delight and her smirk grows, “Trust me when I say you’re not the first person who has imagined all the ways to kick Damian Wayne’s ass.” 

He laughs in full as the waitress sits his own glass of water down. He takes it in hand, thanks the waitress, then turns to her and lifts it up in the air, “To our mutual hate.” He says and she lifts her own glass and takes a sip with him. 

As they delve into further conversation about archeology Raven marvels at how easy it is to talk to him. They bring out their food and they eat as they talk about anything and everything. Jaime is quirky but also charming in his own way, and she finds that she’s glad that they met. 

Eventually his own phone rings and Jaime glances down at the alarm before turning back to her with an apology in his eyes.

“I’m afraid I have to go, but we play Gotham again next week so we’re sticking around the city for a bit. Can I see you again before I leave?” He asks as he shoves his arms back into his jacket. 

There’s a warm feeling in her chest when he smiles at her. “Yeah, here.” She hands him her phone, “Put your number in my phone and I’ll text you.” 

“Great. I really gotta run, but text me.” He slips out of the stool and gives her a small wave. “Have a great night Raven.” 

“Good night Reyes.” She says and sits for a few more minutes, finishing her salad. With a faint smile she stands and then frowns when she can’t find her ticket to pay for her food. When the waitress walks by she gains her attention.

“Excuse me, I don’t see my ticket to pay for my food?” She asks and the waitress waves her off,

“The gentleman that you were with already paid for it honey.” 

_ Oh.  _ Well, then. 

“Thank you.” She says before leaving herself. 

They had a nice dinner, alone. She gave him her number and he paid for her food. She enjoyed their time talking together.  _ Wait a minute. _ She physically stops walking on the concrete back to her apartment, floored. 

_ Did she just have a first date with Jaime Reyes?  _

  
  


.

  
  
The first thing Raven sees when she unlocks and opens her door is Karen laying on her bed. At the sound of her keys, Karen suddenly looks up from her laptop. 

“Hey.” She says and Raven presses her lips together, saying nothing. She tosses her keys on the bedside table and crosses her arms. 

“Raven, I really want to apologize.” Karen sighs and Raven raises a brow. That is definitely not what she expected to hear. “Kori and I shouldn’t have made you go to the game and I was a jerk for trying to make you come with us to dinner.”  _ That’s putting it lightly.  _

“We just wanted to hang out with you.” She finishes her spiel and Raven scoffs,

“Are you sure it wasn’t because you wanted to keep an eye on me?” She nearly spits. Karen looks at her and her brows furrow.

“What- no, why would you say that?” She asks and shuts her laptop, then sits up straighter on her bed. Raven narrows her eyes. “Come on Karen, there’s no need to pretend that you’re not watching my every move and then reporting it to Batman.” 

She busies herself with shuffling through the stack of articles she had printed out earlier for future tutoring sessions in the writing center. Karen makes a strangled noise in the back of her throat out of frustration.

“Me and Kori volunteered to watch you because we’re  _ friends  _ Raven. Zatanna wanted to move in with you herself but Batman wouldn’t allow it.” 

Raven stills, then looks at Karen and a wave of anger flows through her. “You never told me that.” She says flatly and Karen throws her hands up in the air. “Because I knew you’d be pissed.  _ Please _ try to understand my side. We didn’t want to get involved at all, but this was the only way we could get Zatanna off your back.” 

Her anger is growing with each passing second and she shoves the stack of papers into her bookbag, then stomps back over to the door and starts rummaging through her closet.

“Where are you going now?” Karen asks, voice rising. Raven spares her an icy glare,

“Why, do you need an alibi?” 

“I don’t understand why you’re so upset Raven. We were just trying to help you.” She insists. Raven rolls her eyes as she grabs a pair of track shorts and a sports bra. “I don’t understand why you’re  _ just now _ casually mentioning that you  _ volunteered  _ to ‘watch’ me.” She looks over her shoulder to meet Karen’s eyes, “At least Zatanna is upfront about not trusting me.” 

“That’s not even-  _ I do trust you. _ ” Karen huffs and follows her into the bathroom. Raven strips with rigid movements to put on her training clothes. 

“You have a funny way of showing it.” The amulet bounces lightly against her chest as she changes and she spares it a glance. It begins to glow a ruby red, a show of unrest at her rising anger. 

“I’m just trying to do the best I can for you and the League.” She says and Raven shoves her tank top over her sports bra. 

“What else do I have to do to prove myself Karen? I already allowed Zatanna to transfer my power into this damned amulet.” She growls, shoving her necklace in Karen’s face, “I literally don’t have access to it even if I wanted to.” 

“I know, I’m sorry.” Karen suddenly grows quiet and Raven feels tears form at the corners of her eyes from frustration. Blinking them back, she sniffs and runs a hand through her lavender hair. She takes a deep breath, then looks back to Karen. 

“Have you ever stopped to think about how all of this makes _me_ _feel_? I never wanted any of this.” 

Karen pointedly looks away from her, unable to meet her eyes any longer and Raven snorts. Of course she never thought about what she had to sacrifice to appease the League just to even be allowed on this earth, much less attend Gotham College. 

“I’m going out, don’t wait up.” Raven says and Karen sidesteps to allow her to walk past her. She walks over to the kitchen counter long enough to fill up her water bottle and throw it into a duffel bag, then she grabs her jacket and slips it on. 

Thankfully Karen says nothing when she opens the door again and slams it closed. When the cold hits again she relishes in it, and she stomps across campus towards the gymnasium. The amulet burns against her chest and Raven takes another deep breath. Zatanna had intended for it to be a container of sorts for her power, and for the most part it works. Still, when her emotions are at a heightened state it… strains the hold that it has on her power. 

Rummaging through her bag, she pulls out her earbuds and puts them on. Music helps sometimes, and right now she needs an outlet. 

The gym is usually quiet during this time in the late evening so she strides confidently to the training room. In addition to weight sets, there was a large padded area with a few punching bags- and right now it’s empty.  _ Perfect.  _

She stretches out nimble limbs and sets her music to one of her workout playlists. Although she no longer has any use for her power she is still active and very well-versed in hand to hand combat. It’s a means to help her cope with her emotions, and although she was raised a pacifist, she’s long since found that there are worse ways to cope than punching a weighted bag full of sand. 

Once she secures her hands in the fingerless gloves she pulls the velcro tight and takes a few warm up swings. Then, when a particularly upbeat song begins so does she. Punching and kicking lightly, her body glides with the beat of the music and the bag swings wildly in the air.

She punches until her tank top is soaked and sweat beads down in her eyes, and she keeps going, breathing heavily in through her nose and out her mouth. Strands of hair cling to her face but she just wipes her forehead with a gloved hand and keeps going. All of her frustration, her anger, slowly simmers and the amulet begins to cool. 

She’s only about half-way through her playlist when she sees him walk closer in her peripheral. With a scowl, she ignores him and continues. That is, until he stands nearly a foot away from the punching bag. Ripping one earbud out of her ear, the music pauses and she puts one hand on her hip as the punching bag continues to swing aimlessly.

“What the hell do you want Wayne?” She asks, irritated. Her eyes look over his muscle t-shirt and track shorts, zeroing in on his taped hands. She arches a brow, gesturing to one of the other punching bags that’s still available. 

“I’ve taken pity on that unfortunate punching bag of yours and figured you might appreciate a sparring partner.” 

Raven looks over to the punching bag, noticing the rip in one of the seams for the first time, then glances back over to Wayne. He stands there, hands in a neutral gesture, and she sees his lack of boxing gear.

“What makes you think I know hand to hand combat?” She wipes her brow once more and walks over to the bench carrying her things. As she pulls out her water bottle he walks closer to her.

“I can see it in your stance, Roth. You move like a trained fighter.” His tone is challenging, almost accusatory. She looks over her shoulder to see his eyes watching her closely. She takes another sip of water.

“Why do you care if I know a few techniques in martial arts?” She asks, eyes narrowing. He shrugs, “I don’t,” His eyes flick up to her hands, “I just thought you’d be a formidable opponent.” 

She blinks _. That sounded strangely like a compliment. _

She stands and stares at him for a few seconds, looking for any trickery in his own gaze but finds none. Then she crosses her arms. “Okay,” She clucks her tongue, “It’s been awhile since I’ve had a physical opponent.” She admits with a grin and tugs at the velcro on her gloves to take them off. He gives her a half-smirk and tosses her the tape,

“I received your essay by the way. I’ll send it back to you with my suggested edits by the end of tomorrow.” 

Raven rolls her eyes and tapes her hands, “On the contrary when you send yours, you must allow me two business days before I get back to you. Talent  _ does _ take time you know.” She admits that she enjoys putting a scowl on his face. 

“Ready?” He asks instead of answering her. Raven steps onto the training mat and flexes her wrists a few times, shifting on the balls of her feet. Then she pops her earbuds back in and nods. They begin to circle each other and Raven decides to wait for him to take the offensive, intending to gauge his fighting style. 

It doesn’t take long for him to strike, which she expects. From her observations of his soccer match, it’s clear that he has a more aggressive technique. She just doesn’t expect him to be so damned  _ fast _ . 

He strikes hard and in quick succession and it’s all Raven can do to just block him. It’s clear that he’s been training martial arts ever since he could walk, and she grits her teeth when he gets in a kick at the inside of one thigh. 

But she’s trained her entire life too, and he appraises her when she gets in a few punches of her own. He grunts when she manages to dart in when he leaves an opening on his left side and she punches his ribs. She grins because they both know that it’s going to leave a pretty nasty bruise in the morning. 

Eventually he starts to gain ground and she knows that she needs to end the match soon or he’ll gain the upper hand, if he doesn't have it already. So she feigns an opening and when he takes the bait and lunges, she elbows his upper back and the momentum carries him forward. 

It all happens within seconds. He tumbles into a forward roll then springs up and sweeps his feet, kicking hers from underneath her and she falls on her back,  _ hard. _ Her breath is knocked from her lungs and she gasps at the sudden pain and pinches her eyes shut. By the time she opens them he’s hovering over her figure with a smirk. He offers her a hand and she swats it away, before moving to a sitting position. 

“Not bad, Roth.” He says and when Raven looks over he actually looks out of breath. A smile tugs at her lips despite her loss. 

“Mm,” She says, then stands slowly, “I hope you think of me every time your breath hitches in pain from the bruise that’s definitely going to form tomorrow.” 

“Tch, that would imply that I ever think of you at all.” 

Usually he’s able to get under her skin, but tonight- especially after their sparring match, she feels almost unbothered. So instead she arches a brow and grins slowly, “Oh save your breath, Wayne. We both know you sit in the dark at night and plot about all the ways you can make my life a living hell.” 

He looks at her blankly, “You believe I’d waste what free time I actually have on you?” 

Her smirk widens, “Need I remind you that  _ you _ just asked me to spar with you?” She walks over to the bench and slings her backpack over her shoulder, aware of his keen eyes on her. 

He says nothing, just watches as she bends her head back to drink her water. Her eyes widen when she looks at her phone, seeing the time.  _ 11:47.  _ She trained much longer than she originally thought. She starts to walk without a second glance. 

“Let me walk you back home.” Wayne walks next to her and Raven snorts.

“That’s strangely thoughtful, but no. I don’t need you.” She says, brushing off his concerns. He throws her a look of agitation, but keeps walking.

“Didn’t you read the email that was sent out this afternoon from the Dean?” 

She did. It was some formal warning about a recent prison break that possibly contained metahumans but she’s sure Kori and Karen can handle it just fine if necessary. 

“That email is just a precaution.” She says. 

“How can you be so careless?” He asks her and she scowls, then stops to face him.

“What do you care about my well-being Wayne?” He opens his mouth to say something but she cuts him off, “The only thing that you need to worry about is getting my essay back to me tomorrow.” 

“I insist on accompanying you back.” 

Raven narrows her eyes, “And if a metahuman does attack the campus grounds, what are you going to be able to do about it?” She asks, arching a brow when it looks like he’s going to argue further. Then, he clears his throat and looks away.

“Very well, you’ve made your point.” 

“I know.” She grins, then continues walking. 

But the sound of a distant starbolt has her stopping in her tracks and she fills with dread when she hears the familiar battle cry of Starfire.

Then her ears drum violently with the sound of the blaring alarm that follows shortly after. 


End file.
